BMW has officially confirmed the launch of the 1-series M Coupe, a car it hopes will be a spiritual successor to the original E30 BMW M3. BMW M division boss Kay Segler said it was “an urgent goal” to create a “small, affordable M model in the tradition of the very first BMW M3”.

When asked in an official BMW interview why there was no model in BMW’s range to match the original M3, Segler said: “All models grow, have more equipment features and options which can be freely choosen.“Ultimately this is reflected in the vehicle dimensions, weight and price, too. This is why it is one of my most urgent goals to offer a small, affordable M model in the tradition of the very first BMW M3.“This model will be based on the BMW 1 Series Coupé and also be focused on the essentials - the fascination of driving. And it will reflect a love of detail, too.”

We have included some renderings as well as the spy pictures of this upcoming Beemer being tested. Checkout the image gallery here.